Photo Quality

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by 2Hearts Uptown @Ruby Lane on February 3, 2012 at 11:12pm

At times I will link to someone's shop and be surprised at the low quality of the photos or some other aspect of the shop.  No one appreciates a buttinski so nothing is done to help fix the problem.    The only feedback most of us receive is the dreaded flagging - which feels like a slap in the face!  

My recommendation is that a new shop owner be assigned 1-2 mentor shop owners who agree to review their listings for a period of a few months.  The mentor(s) would receive a small credit towards RL fees in appreciation.  The word "mentor" comes from Odysseus, who put his friend Mentor in charge of guiding his son during his absence.  It is an important role that would provide positive guidance to the new shop owners as well as promote quality control for Ruby Lane.  Having finished year 1 with RL, for sure I would have loved a mentor!  

Permalink Reply by Gardenartus Antiques on February 4, 2012 at 6:06am

That is an excellent idea!

2Hearts Uptown @Ruby Lane said:

At times I will link to someone's shop and be surprised at the low quality of the photos or some other aspect of the shop.  No one appreciates a buttinski so nothing is done to help fix the problem.    The only feedback most of us receive is the dreaded flagging - which feels like a slap in the face!  

My recommendation is that a new shop owner be assigned 1-2 mentor shop owners who agree to review their listings for a period of a few months.  The mentor(s) would receive a small credit towards RL fees in appreciation.  The word "mentor" comes from Odysseus, who put his friend Mentor in charge of guiding his son during his absence.  It is an important role that would provide positive guidance to the new shop owners as well as promote quality control for Ruby Lane.  Having finished year 1 with RL, for sure I would have loved a mentor!  

Permalink Reply by Gardenartus Antiques on February 4, 2012 at 6:10am

I don't know what they do about this except make suggestions. I really hate to look at out of focus pics and really hate seeing them at Ruby Lane.  I feel like why even bother to post the pic if no one can actually see it. I know for me it is very frustrating if I am interested in buying something. I also would love to see this change.

Permalink Reply by CheriShops - Admin on February 4, 2012 at 8:27am

Interesting to find this topic today as last night I made my first Pinterest board and it was just for RL vanity....I found so many amazing items but had to bypass a majority because of the photo quality

Mentoring by seasoned shopkeepers is a great idea!

Permalink Reply by The Old Grey Mare on February 4, 2012 at 9:10am

Actually, Ruby Lane is already supposed to have a roving mentor program in place.  If you go to the Forums and type in mentor, the information will come up.  It was started in 2011.   Happy Saturday everyone~

Permalink Reply by CheriShops - Admin on February 4, 2012 at 9:28am

I  know they have always had CS staff available to provide mentoring for a short while for new shops...I requested and got a (very kind and helpful) one when I first opened in 2007

I like the idea of fellow shopkeepers mentoring too....which I guess is what we already do here for each other :)

Happy Saturday to you too Dexter :)

Permalink Reply by 2Hearts Uptown @Ruby Lane on February 4, 2012 at 9:55am

I checked that out per your suggestion.  Great idea, but pretty random.   Sometimes the person/shop that needs it the most is least likely to "volunteer."    I am currently being compensated to mentor some folks who are getting their admin credential (education), and it is just part of the program.    It would be a win-win for the new shop owner and Ruby Lane to make it  "just part of the program" of joining the Ruby Lane family of shops.

Happy weekend,

D'Anne

P.S.  Meeting with my mentee group in a couple hours to share experiences so far; if it weren't structured, they wouldn't do it on their own!

Dexter Grass said:

Actually, Ruby Lane is already supposed to have a roving mentor program in place.  If you go to the Forums and type in mentor, the information will come up.  It was started in 2011.   Happy Saturday everyone~

Permalink Reply by The Old Grey Mare on February 4, 2012 at 11:00am

Oh I so agree D'Anne, totally random.  If it's being done at all.  I just wanted to mention that they "announced" there is a mentoring program in place.  So I imagine that suggesting one would be met with this as a response.  Some years ago,  they changed the antique lane to 100 years old (which I agree with) and items priced at $100 or more (which I don't agree with)  After quite a bit of time had gone by, I wrote to them, pointing out all the things that were 1950's and still listed in antiques, actually being added on a daily basis to antiques, with nothing done about it.  They explained that is why they have the flagging system in place, because  the RL staff doesn't have the time to police the site.  If they hired someone to do it, our shop costs would rise.  So I can't really imagine they have time to implement this mentoring program.  If they don't check for flagrant violations of Ruby Lane policy, I doubt they're out there looking for blurry pictures.  

Permalink Reply by Catisfaction on February 4, 2012 at 4:35pm

I really like this idea!! I think it should be put to the powers that be. I would so be happy to mentor new shop owners.

I haven't read the other responses yet so forgive me if I double up on something already said, but it would be a nice thing that if someone gets a referal credit for a new shop they should automatically be a mentor for them. Make us earn our keep as it were :)

2Hearts Uptown @Ruby Lane said:

At times I will link to someone's shop and be surprised at the low quality of the photos or some other aspect of the shop.  No one appreciates a buttinski so nothing is done to help fix the problem.    The only feedback most of us receive is the dreaded flagging - which feels like a slap in the face!  

My recommendation is that a new shop owner be assigned 1-2 mentor shop owners who agree to review their listings for a period of a few months.  The mentor(s) would receive a small credit towards RL fees in appreciation.  The word "mentor" comes from Odysseus, who put his friend Mentor in charge of guiding his son during his absence.  It is an important role that would provide positive guidance to the new shop owners as well as promote quality control for Ruby Lane.  Having finished year 1 with RL, for sure I would have loved a mentor!